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1 Neuroendocrinology Letters Volume 27 No A meta-analysis epidemiological assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders following vaccines administered from 1994 through 2000 in the United States David A. Geier 1 & Mark R. Geier 2 1 Vice-President, The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Silver Spring, MD, USA. 2 President, The Genetic Centers of America. Correspondence to: Dr. Mark R. Geier 14 Redgate Ct., Silver Spring, MD 20905, USA. PHONE: +1 (301) FAX: +1 (301) mgeier@comcast.net Submitted: April 4, 2006 Accepted: May 7, 2006 Key words: developmental delay; mercury; merthiolate; thimerosal; thiomersal Neuroendocrinol Lett 2006; 27(4): PMID: NEL270306A01 Neuroendocrinology Letters Abstract BACKGROUND: Thimerosal is an ethylmercury-containing compound (49.6% mercury by weight) used as at the preservative level in vaccines (0.005% to 0.01%). METHODS: Statistical modeling in a meta-analysis epidemiological assessment of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for neurodevelopment disorders (NDs) reported following Diphtheria-Tetanus-whole-cell-Pertussis (DTP) vaccines in comparison to Diphtheria-Tetanus-whole-cell-Pertussis-Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (DTPH) vaccines (administered: ) and following Thimerosal-containing Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular-Pertussis (DTaP), vaccines in comparison to Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines (administered: ), was undertaken. RESULTS: Significantly increased adjusted (sex, age, vaccine type, vaccine manufacturer) risks of autism, speech disorders, mental retardation, personality disorders, thinking abnormalities, ataxia, and NDs in general, with minimal systematic error or confounding, were associated with TCV exposure. CONCLUSION: It is clear from the results of the present epidemiological study and other recently published data associating mercury exposure with childhood NDs, additional ND research should be undertaken in the context of evaluating mercury-associated exposures, especially from Thimerosal-containing vaccines. R E V I E W A R T I C L E Conflict of interests: Dr. Mark Geier has been an expert witness and consultant in vaccine cases before the no-fault National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) and in civil litigation. David Geier has been a consultant in vaccine cases before the no-fault NVICP and in civil litigation. Study Funding: None. To cite this article: Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2006; 27(4):

2 David A. Geier & Mark R. Geier INTRODUCTION some required vaccines administered to US infants (e.g. influenza), as well as to several other vaccines (e.g. Thimerosal is an ethylmercury-containing compound Tetanus-diphtheria and monovalent tetanus). The Institute (49.6% mercury by weight) that was historically added of Medicine (IOM) of the United States National to many vaccines at the preservative level (0.005 % to Academy of Sciences has retreated from the stated goal 0.01%). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and (CDC) from the late 1980s through the 1990s expanded US Public Health Service in 1999 that Thimerosal be the number of doses of Thimerosal-containing vaccines removed from US vaccines as soon as possible [43]. to be administered to US infants. The routine childhood Furthermore, many nations still add Thimerosal to immunization schedule was gradually expanded from many of their pediatric vaccines. As a result, assessing administration of five doses of Thimerosal-containing the safety of Thimerosal-containing vaccines is still of Diptheria-Tetanus-whole-cell-Pertussis (DTP) vaccine significant importance. (the first dose being administered at two months of age) It has previously been reported that organic mercury to eventually include three doses of Thimerosal-containing can alter cell number and cell division; these impacts hepatitis B vaccine (the first dose administered have been postulated as modes of action for the observed on the day of birth), and four doses of Thimerosal-containing effects in neuronal development, and as a result the Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine potential implications of such observations are evident (the first dose administered at two months of age). when evaluated in context with research showing that Additionally, the CDC also began to recommend that altered cell proliferation and focal neuropathologic three doses of Thimerosal-containing influenza vaccine effects have been linked to specific behavioral deficits be administered to certain infant populations (the (e.g. autism) [21]. Researchers have determined that first dose administered by the sixth month of age). As exposure to mercury can cause immune, sensory, neurological, a result, under the expanded childhood immunization motor, and behavioral dysfunctions similar schedule recommended by the CDC, if infants received to traits defining or associated with autistic disorders, all Thimerosal-containing vaccines, their total nominal and that the similarities extend to neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters, mercury exposure, based on the vaccine labeling, could and biochemistry [5, 6, 10, 57]. It has have been as high as 200 micrograms (μg) of mercury also been reported in previous epidemiological studies during the first six months of life [3]. that early postnatal mercury exposure was associated In evaluating the dose of mercury children received with delayed motor development, delayed language from Thimerosal-containing vaccines in the US, when development, learning disabilities, attention deficits, factoring in significant environmental exposure (i.e. and autism in children [1, 17]. mercury in breast milk), it has been estimated the mercury In a series of previous epidemiological studies, vari- in Thimerosal-containing vaccines represented ous databases, including the California Department of almost 50% of the total mercury dose some infants Developmental Services (CDDS), Vaccine Adverse received [8]. As a result, it has been determined that Event Reporting System (VAERS), US Department some infants who received μg of mercury through of Education, and the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) Thimerosal-containing vaccines by the sixth month database, have been examined, and significant links from the routine childhood vaccination schedule, in between exposure to Thimerosal-containing vaccines combination with environmental exposure from mercury and neurodevelopmental disorders were found [24 33]. in breast milk (164 μg of mercury), were exposed Specifically, it was determined, based upon assessment to cumulative doses of mercury by the sixth month of of the VAERS, that additional doses of mercury from life in excess of the methylmercury safety guidelines Thimerosal-containing Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular-Pertussis established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (DTaP) vaccines in comparison to Thi- (EPA), Health Canada, the World Health Organization merosal-free DTaP vaccines (administered in the late (WHO), the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease 1990s), and from DTP and Hib vaccines in comparison Registry (ATSDR), and the US Food and Drug Administration to DTPH vaccines (administered in the early to midinfants (FDA). It was also determined that these same 1990s), had 2- to 8-fold significantly increased risks, were in excess of the methylmercury guidelines depending upon the symptoms or outcomes examined, established by the EPA, Health Canada, WHO and the for neurodevelopmental disorders. The one other epidemiological ATSDR for the entire first year of life [8]. study conducted in the United States that In response to theoretical concerns about the has examined the relationship between Thimerosalcontaining cumulative doses of mercury children received from vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders, Thimerosal-containing vaccines, on July 7, 1999 the by Verstaeten et al., from the CDC, initially found a American Academy of Pediatrics and the United States significant relationship between Thimerosal-containing Public Health Service issued a joint statement calling for childhood vaccines and some types of neurodevel- the removal of Thimerosal from all childhood vaccines opmental disorders, but upon further examination of a [3]. Thimerosal has been removed from many vaccines different dataset, it did not find a consistent effect [63]. administered to infants in the US, but still remains in The lead author concluded that this study was neutral (i.e. could neither accept nor reject a causal relation- 402 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X

3 ship) regarding the relationship between Thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders [64]. In light of this apparent inconsistency, the purpose of the present study was to use statistical modeling in a combined epidemiological analysis of previously examined data in the VAERS to determine whether the previously observed results in VAERS represent robust, genuine phenomena or simply were a transient artifact and/or a mere peculiarity of the years examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Institute for Chronic Illnesses (Office for Human Research Protections, US Department of Health and Human Services IRB number: IRB ) approved the present study. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System In the present study, a historical examination of VAERS (online public access version; reports entered through 31 May 2005) was undertaken using Microsoft Access TM. The entire database was surveyed for duplicate reports (i.e. having the same VAERS ID number), and these were eliminated. In this study a combined epidemiological assessment of VAERS was undertaken whilst employing a Bradford Hill criteria framework to assess observed associations [38]. Childhood neurodevelopment disorders reported following Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines in comparison to Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines (administered from 1997 through 2000), and following DTP vaccines in comparison to DTPH vaccines (administered from 1994 through 1997), were evaluated in the VAERS. Based upon the purposed evaluations of the vaccines under study, there should have been, maximally, a nominal approximately 100 μg additional exposure to mercury among those children receiving DTP vaccines in comparison those receiving DTPH vaccines, because children receiving DTP vaccines were concurrently administered Hib vaccines in addition. When these two vaccines were combined in the DTPH vaccine, children receiving it were nominally exposed to 25 μg of mercury per vaccine administration. By contrast, children receiving DTP vaccines were nominally exposed to the 25 μg of mercury from the DTP vaccine and 25 μg of mercury from the Hib vaccine. Thus, considering the possible combinations/alternatives of vaccine administrated in accord with the immunization schedule, examining specifically DTP, Hib, and DTPH, it is observed that children receiving separate DTP and Hib vaccines potentially received a nominal maximum of 200 μg of mercury from these vaccines, whereas children receiving DTPH in the same schedule potentially received a nominal maximum of 100 μg of mercury from these vaccines during the first 18 months of life. These vaccines were administered for similar years, in the same childhood vaccination schedule, during the first 18 months of life at 2, 4, 6, and months, in the United States. Similarly, there should have been maximally a nominal approximately 100 μg of additional exposure to mercury among those children receiving Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines in comparison those receiving Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines, because children receiving Thimerosal-containing vaccines were nominally administered an additional 25 μg of mercury with each dose of vaccine, and thus, among the vaccines under study, children receiving Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines potentially received a nominal maximum of 100 μg of mercury from these vaccines, whereas children receiving Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines in the same 403 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X Thimerosal The VAERS is an epidemiological database that has been maintained by the CDC since 1990 as a surveillance tool to evaluate vaccine safety. Specific adverse events following vaccination are required to be reported to this database as mandated by law. The VAERS Working Group of the CDC has previously reported that less than 5% of the total adverse events reported to VAERS are reported by parents. The VAERS Working Group of the CDC and the FDA analyze and publish epidemiologic studies based upon analyses of VAERS. They note that VAERS is simple to use, flexible by design, and the data are available in a timely fashion, but warn that the potential limitations may include systematic error due to underreporting, erroneous reporting, frequent multiple exposures, multiple outcomes and lack of precise denominators [60]. In this study of VAERS, the general epidemiological technique employed was developed by Rosenthal et al. from the National Immunization Program (NIP) of the CDC [59]. This technique involves comparing two different types of vaccines that were administered to age-matched populations, and using the net number of doses distributed from the Biological Surveillance Summaries of the CDC to estimate the number of doses administered. This process corrects for doses not distributed or returned during the period examined in the Biological Surveillance Summaries of the CDC, and the net number of doses distributed is used as the denominator to determine incidence rates of reported adverse events to VAERS. It should be noted that even though the net number of doses of vaccine distributed were analyzed, there is the possibility that some doses of vaccine were not administered to children, but such a limitation should be minimal and should equally affect both vaccines under study. Comparison of reported adverse event incidence data between different vaccines establishes the relative safety and risk of the various agents. Analysis Methods

4 David A. Geier & Mark R. Geier schedule potentially received a nominal maximum of 0 μg of mercury from these vaccines during the first 18 months of life. These vaccines were administered for similar years, in the same childhood vaccination schedule, during the first 18 months of life at 2, 4, 6, and months, in the United States. Therefore, the VAERS reports that indicate DTP or Thimerosal-containing DTaP were administered were considered to be exposed in the present study, and the VAERS reports that indicated DTPH or Thimerosal-free DTaP were administered were considered to be unexposed in the present study. The neurodevelopmental adverse events analyzed in VAERS included: autism (Costart Term = Autism and/ or Costart Term = Schizophrenic Reac), mental retardation (Costart Term = Mental Retard), speech disorders (Costart Term = Speech Dis), thinking abnormalities (Costart Term = Thinking Abnorm), personality disorders (Costart Term = Person Dis), ataxia (Costart Term = Ataxia), and neurodevelopmental disorders in general (one or more of the aforementioned adverse events as a Costart Term in an individual VAERS report). Descriptions of these adverse events were based upon those reporting them, and coded by VAERS technical staff into defined symptom fields contained in each report. Table 1 summarizes the neurodevelopmental disorder raw data examined in the present study of VAERS. The Biological Surveillance Summaries of the CDC, as segregated by vaccine manufacturer, indicated that there were a total of 57,151,417 vaccines administered to children in the exposed group that received additional doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines Table 1. A summary of the neurodevelopmental disorder raw data evaluated in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System broken down by vaccine type, vaccine manufacturer, year of vaccine administration, and adverse event type. Vaccine Type [Manufacturer] Year Autism SD MR PD Ataxia TA ND Wyeth Lederle DTP DTPH DTaP Aventis Pasteur/ Connaught DTaP GlaxoSmithKline DTaP Totals PD = Personality Disorder MR = Mental Retardation ND = Neurodevelopmental Disorder SD = Speech Disorder TA = Thinking Abnormalities 404 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X

5 Thimerosal Table 2. The Biological Surveillance Summaries of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates of the net number of doses distributed/administered on a yearly basis broken down by vaccine type and vaccine manufacturer Vaccine Type [Manufacturer] Year Net Doses Distributed/ Administered 1 Wyeth Lederle DTP , ,300, ,069, ,775 DTPH ,894, ,300, ,760, ,114,500 DTaP ,452, ,766, ,330, ,239,040 Aventis Pasteur/Connaught DTaP ,828, ,504, ,045, ,411,936 GlaxoSmithKline DTaP ,121, ,844, ,708, ,241,250 1 These estimates of the number of doses of vaccine administered were adjusted for doses not distributed or returned during the period examined and were used as the denominators to determine the calculated incidence rates of reported adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System database. Table 3. The composition of the DTaP vaccines under study in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database Vaccine Component Thimerosal-Containing DTaP Vaccine (Aventis Pasteur Connaught) Thimerosal-Containing DTaP Vaccine (Wyeth Lederle) Thimerosal-Free DTaP Vaccine (GlaxoSmithKline) Pertussis Toxin (micrograms/dose) Filamentous Hemagglutinin (micrograms/dose) Pertactin 2 8 (micrograms/dose) Fembrial Agglutinogens 0.8 (micrograms/dose) Diphtheria Toxoid (Lf/dose) Tetanus Toxoid (Lf/dose) How Toxoided Formaldehyde Formaldehyde Formaldehyde Aluminum (mg/dose) Diluent Phosphate-Buffered Saline Phosphate-Buffered Saline Saline Preservative Thimerosal Thimerosal Phenoxyethanol Trace Constituents Formaldehyde, Gelatin, Polysorbate-80 Formaldehyde, Gelatin, Polysorbate-80 Formaldehyde, Polysorbate-80 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X 405

6 David A. Geier & Mark R. Geier Table 4. A summary of potential confounders 1 following Thimerosal-containing vaccines in comparison to Thimerosal-reduced vaccines based upon analysis of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database. Potential Confounder/ Exposure Category Number of Conditional Maximum Likelihood Estimate of the Odds Ratio p-value 95% Confidence Interval Geographical Dispersion Texas (Western) Exposed Cases Unexposed Cases Total 834 Illinois (Central) Exposed Cases Unexposed Cases 232 Total 494 Florida (Eastern) Exposed Cases Unexposed Cases 243 Total 506 Medical History Past Medical Histories Exposed Cases 5, < Unexposed Cases 5,704 Total 11,381 Other Medications Exposed Cases 4, < Unexposed Cases 4,625 Total 9,099 Demographics Male Exposed Cases 3, < Unexposed Cases 3,612 Total 7,325 Female Exposed Cases 3, < Unexposed Cases 3,262 Total 6,397 1 These potential confounders were examined using the conditional maximum likelihood estimate of the odds ratio and the nominal Fisher s exact test statistic to determine statistical significance, so as to evaluate there significance for statistical models developed in the present study. These potential confounders were considered for entry into the statistical model if they had an odds ratio > 1.25 (odds ratio < 0.80) and a p-value < There were a total of 57,151,417 vaccines administered to exposed children that received additional doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTP or Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines) and a total of 47,985,230 vaccines administered to unexposed children that received lower doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTPH or Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines). 406 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X

7 Table 5. A summary of the crude and adjusted risk of neurodevelopmental disorders following vaccines containing additional doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines in comparison to Thimerosal-reduced vaccines based upon analysis of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database. Outcome/ Exposure Category Number of Adjusted 1 Conditional Maximum Likelihood Estimate of Pooled Odds Ratio Adjusted p-value Adjusted 95% Confidence Interval Autism Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 2 44 Total 133 Mental Retardation Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 55 Total 143 Thimerosal Speech Disorders Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 34 Total 115 Personality Disorders Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 54 Total 124 Thinking Abnormalities Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 10 Total 41 Ataxia Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 12 Total 41 Neurodevelopmental Disorders Exposed Cases < Unexposed Cases 151 Total 374 Statistical models were developed using the conditional maximum likelihood estimate of the pooled odds ratio and the nominal Fisher s exact test statistic to determine statistical significance. The Woolf Q test statistic examining the non-combinability of the odds ratios and the Kendall test statistic examining for bias indicators were not significant for any adverse event examined. 1 Adjusted for age, sex, year of vaccine administration, vaccine manufacturer, and vaccine type by stratifying the data based upon the year of vaccine administration, sex of the vaccine recipient, vaccine type, and vaccine manufacturer. 2 There were a total of 57,151,417 vaccines administered to exposed children that received additional doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTP or Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines) and a total of 47,985,230 vaccines administered to unexposed children that received lower doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTPH or Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines). Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X 407

8 David A. Geier & Mark R. Geier (i.e. DTP or Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines) and a total of 47,985,230 vaccines administered to children in the unexposed group that received lower doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTPH or Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines). Table 2 summarizes the vaccine administration years examined and the yearly breakdown of the net number of doses distributed/administered by vaccine type and vaccine manufacturer. In addition, Table 3 summarizes the composition of the DTaP vaccines examined in the present study [56]. In this study, control adverse events were evaluated to determine if potential bias or systematic error was present in the reporting of adverse events in VAERS following the vaccines under study. The control adverse events examined in the present study were selected on an a priori basis as not biologically plausibly linked to an increased risk following additional doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines, and included the following outcomes: conjunctivitis (Costart Term = Conjunctivitis), lymphadenopathy (Costart Term = Lymphadeno), and febrile seizures (Costart Term = Febrile Seizure). STATISTICAL ANALYSES The premise of equality between the exposed and unexposed groups examined forms the basis of the null hypothesis employed in the present study. The statistical package in StatsDirect TM (Version 2.4.2) was employed. In this study, statistical models were developed using the conditional maximum likelihood estimate of the pooled odds ratio and the nominal Fisher s exact test statistic to determine statistical significance. Additionally, as part of the statistical models, the Woolf Q test statistic was employed to examine non-combinability of the odds ratios, and the Kendall test statistic was employed to examine for bias indicators. Potential confounders, including geographic dispersion (based upon residence in representative states in the western (Texas), central (Illinois), and eastern (Florida) regions of the US), medical history (number of reports with previous medical histories and number of reports specifying other medications received), and demographic elements (male and female reports) were examined in the VAERS. Confounders were selected for inclusion into statistical models in the present study if they had odds ratios > 1.25 (or if they had odds ratios < 0.80) and p-values < 0.10, based upon using the nominal Fisher s exact test statistic to determine statistical significance, or were included in DISCUSSION the models regardless for sex, age, vaccine type, and vaccine manufacturer. The results of this examination The results of the present examination of the of confounders are summarized in Table 4. Based upon VAERS show a significant relationship between the this examination of potential confounders in VAERS, Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines evaluated the adverse events examined in the present study were and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. The adjusted for age, sex, year of vaccine administration, data demonstrate that a significant risk factor for the vaccine manufacturer, and vaccine type, by stratifying development of neurodevelopmental disorders was the data based upon: the year of vaccine administra- the amount of mercury children received from Thi- 408 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X tion (1994 through 2000), sex of the vaccine recipient (assuming there were approximately equal numbers of male and female vaccine recipients), vaccine type (DTP, DTPH, Thimerosal-containing DTaP, or Thimerosalfree DTaP), and vaccine manufacturer (Wyeth-Lederle, GlaxoSmithKline, Aventis Pasteur-Connaught). In order for statistical significance testing to be performed for an adverse event, a total of 40 adverse events were required to be identified following the vaccines under study in VAERS. A two-sided p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Table 5 summarizes neurodevelopmental disorders reported to VAERS following the vaccines under study. It was found that there were the following total number of neurodevelopmental disorder adverse events identified in VAERS: autism (133 reports), speech disorders (115 reports), mental retardation (143 reports), personality disorders (124 reports), thinking abnormalities (41 reports), ataxia (41 reports), and neurodevelopmental disorders in general (374 reports). It was observed that there were significant associations between neurodevelopmental disorder adverse events reported to VAERS in the exposed group, in comparison to the unexposed group for the following outcomes: autism (adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.56, p < 0.03, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = ), speech disorders (adjusted OR = 2.78, p < , 95% CI = ), mental retardation (adjusted OR = 2.36, p < , 95% CI = ), personality disorders (adjusted OR = 2.06, p < , 95% CI = ), thinking abnormalities (adjusted OR = 5.85, p < , 95% CI = ), ataxia (adjusted OR = 2.22, p < 0.04, 95% CI = ), and neurodevelopmental disorders in general (adjusted OR = 1.61, p < , 95% CI = ). Table 6 summarizes the control adverse events reported in the exposed and unexposed groups examined in VAERS. It was determined that the control adverse events of conjunctivitis (adjusted OR = 1.36, p = 0.32, 95% CI = ), febrile seizures (adjusted OR = 1.02, p = 0.90, 95% CI = ), and lymphandenopathy (adjusted OR = 0.72, p = 0.074, 95% CI = ) were similarly reported to VAERS for the vaccines under study.

9 Table 6. A summary of the crude and adjusted risk of control adverse events 1 reported following vaccines containing additional doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines in comparison to Thimerosal-reduced vaccines based upon analysis of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System database. Outcome/ Exposure Category Number of Adjusted 2 Conditional Maximum Likelihood Estimate of Pooled Odds Ratio Adjusted p-value Adjusted 95% Confidence Interval Conjunctivitis Exposed Cases Unexposed Cases 3 28 Total 65 Lymphadenopathy Exposed Cases Unexposed Cases 55 Total 125 Febrile Seizure Exposed Cases Unexposed Cases 214 Total 377 Statistical models were developed using the conditional maximum likelihood estimate of the pooled odds ratio and the nominal Fisher s exact test statistic to determine statistical significance. The Woolf Q test statistic examining the non-combinability of the odds ratios and the Kendall test statistic examining for bias indicators were not significant for any adverse event examined. 1 Control adverse events were selected on an a priori basis as not biologically plausibly linked to an increased risk following additional doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines. 2 Adjusted for age, sex, year of vaccine administration, vaccine manufacturer, and vaccine type by stratifying the data based upon the year of vaccine administration, sex of the vaccine recipient, vaccine type, and vaccine manufacturer. 3 There were a total of 57,151,417 vaccines administered to exposed children that received additional doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTP or Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines) and a total of 47,985,230 vaccines administered to unexposed children that received lower doses of mercury from vaccines (i.e. DTPH or Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines). Thimerosal merosal-containing childhood immunizations. Taken collectively, the increased risk associated with all seven neurodevelopmental disorders examined, any of which could independently be an indicator of possible mercury toxicity, proffers significant evidence for an association between the Thimerosal-containing vaccines evaluated in the present study and neurodevelopmental disorders based on this controlled assessment of VAERS. In considering the utility of VAERS, it has been repeatedly examined by the CDC/FDA to epidemiologically evaluate the safety of vaccines [12, 19, 34, 47, 50, 55, 59, 67]. Furthermore, the CDC-developed the general epidemiological technique, employed in this study, of comparing the incidence rate of reported adverse events following one vaccine, to the incidence rate of reported adverse events following another vaccine administered to a similarly aged population, continues to be used by the NIP of the CDC to evaluate the safety of vaccines in VAERS [47]. The strength of VAERS stems from its large reporting base (i.e. patients from the entire United States). Its potential weakness is that not all vaccine-associated adverse events experienced are reported. Therefore, VAERS contains a sample of adverse events that occurred following immunization, and hence, reporting of vaccine-associated adverse events must also be evaluated to determine whether systematic error or bias is present in the data examined. Chen and Rosenthal from the NIP have published that the potential limitations in VAERS (such as: underreporting, erroneous reporting, frequent multiple exposures, multiple outcomes, and lack of precise denominators) should apply equally when comparing vaccines administered to similarly aged populations, and should allow for determination of accurate, relative, quantitative relationships between vaccines and adverse outcomes [16]. Additionally, a recent review has examined the utility of this method to analyze VAERS, and has concluded that studies examining VAERS using the methods of analysis developed by Rosenthal et al. had good positive predictive value for determining vaccine-associated adverse events that were consistent with observations made in vaccine clinical trials and other databases, including the CDC s VSD database [28]. In this study differences in the populations examined as a result of systematic error/confounding were examined in VAERS, because such factors might have skewed the results. To ensure that the exposed and 409 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X

10 David A. Geier & Mark R. Geier unexposed populations examined in VAERS were employed to evaluate the specificity of adverse event similar, only individuals receiving the vaccines under reporting and the general health statuses of the exposed study who reported an adverse event report to VAERS and unexposed groups examined in VAERS. were analyzed (i.e. this was the entrance criteria for In this study, chance significant associations between the present study). The comparison employed in this Thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders were study between the exposed and unexposed populations minimized. First, since only a limited number of specific examined in VAERS is also important with regards to neurodevelopmental disorders were evaluated in systematic error/confounding because there are social the present study (i.e. only a total of seven neurodevelopmental and medical attributes associated with both avoidance disorders were examined, and only a total 17 or delay of vaccination and an increased risk of adverse outcomes were examined), and since a p-value < 0.05 events, and studies that fail to control adequately for was considered significant (one in 20 outcomes would such systematic error/confounding factors are likely to be expected to be found significant by chance), therefore, underestimate the risks of adverse events attributable to one would expect that less than one of the types vaccination [22]. Since, both the exposed and unexposed of conditions examined in the present assessment of populations examined in VAERS were immunized, VAERS would, by chance, be found to be significantly vaccination-associated types of systematic error/confounding associated with Thimerosal. Second, a series of different were likely to be minimal in the present study. types of neurodevelopmental disorders were examined Inherently, submission of an adverse event report to in VAERS, involving different types of symptoms/syndromes. VAERS, in either the exposed or unexposed vaccine All seven types of neurodevelopmental disor- groups, should occur at a similar frequency, and not ders examined in VAERS were significantly associated introduce systematic error/confounders toward one with Thimerosal. This consistency of observation across vaccine or another. multiple types of neurodevelopmental disorders argues Further controls were employed in evaluating the against the present observations resulting from a mere exposed and the unexposed vaccine groups, by adjusting chance statistical association, or even from a simple for age, sex, year of vaccine administration, vaccine reporting bias stemming from a presumed association manufacturer, and vaccine type in the statistical models between Thimerosal and a given outcome that resulted employed in the present study. Additionally, the years in an over reporting of a single type of adverse event. examined in VAERS also helped to preclude systematic In further evaluating the results of the present study, error in the reporting of neurodevelopmental disorders it must be noted that none of the children examined in due to a presumed association between Thimerosal and this study of VAERS truly represent a Thimerosal-free neurodevelopmental disorders, because only adverse population. Within the reports, it was observed that events were analyzed following vaccines administered other vaccines containing Thimerosal, such as hepatitis from 1994 through As a result, out a total of 971 B vaccine or influenza vaccine, were concurrently neurodevelopmental disorder adverse events examined administered in addition to the specific vaccines under in this study, a total of 787 neurodevelopmental disorder study. The difference in the total amounts of mercury adverse events (> 81%) were reported to VAERS received from Thimerosal-containing vaccines in the following vaccines administered from 1994 through children examined in VAERS stems from the fact that 1998, and hence most were administered in years prior some children received additional doses of mercury to the public announcement recommending removal from DTP or Thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines in of Thimerosal from vaccines in July of 1999 [3]. Also, comparison to those children receiving DTPH or Thimerosal-free a significant number of autism adverse events (33 DTaP vaccines. As a result, the increased autism adverse events, approximately 25% of the total risks observed for neurodevelopmental disorders 133 autism adverse events analyzed in this study) were probably represent a considerable underestimate of received by VAERS prior to the first article by Bernard the overall risk mercury from Thimerosal-containing et al. [5] in April 2001 associating mercury exposure childhood vaccines posed to children. from vaccines with autism. Furthermore, the fact that Other sources of mercury such as anti-rh o immune autism has a median age for diagnosis of approximately globulin, seafood, manufacturing plant emissions, dental 4 years-old [63], means that, at the time of the publication amalgams, and other pharmaceuticals, while potentially of the Bernard et al. [5] article in April 2001, only significant, probably had a limited effect on the VAERS vaccines administered from 1994 through 1997 had the results of this study because the populations analyzed necessary, approximately 4-year follow-up period, and were large, and there should have been equal exposure when taking this into account, it was observed that > to other sources of mercury among the populations 62% (33 out of a total of 53) of autism adverse events, examined. reported following vaccines administered from 1994 In weighing the validity of the results of the present through 1997, were reported prior to the publication study against any epidemiological studies conducted of the Bernard et al. [5] article in April Finally, outside the United States that have not shown an apparent control adverse events, which were observed in the relationship between Thimerosal-containing child- present study to be reported with similar frequencies hood vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders [2, in the exposed and unexposed groups examined, were 37, 42, 48, 61] one must note that these foreign studies 410 Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X

11 Thimerosal have been criticized for their inapplicability to the US exposure experience with Thimerosal-containing vaccines and for fundamental flaws in their methodology [7, 9, 58, 62]. The biological plausibility of the present findings are further supported by recently emerging extensive toxicokinetic, molecular, and animal model studies showing that the administration of Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines resulted in a significant number of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Burbacher et al. have evaluated infant monkeys following injection of doses of mercury comparable to the dosing schedule (weight- and age-adjusted) US children received during the 1990s [15]. These researchers confirmed that Thimerosal crosses the blood-brain barrier and results in appreciable mercury content in tissues including the brain. They determined that the overall half-life of mercury in the brain of the infant monkeys examined was approximately 24 days. In addition, it was determined that the percentage of inorganic mercury in the brains of the Thimerosaltreated infant monkeys averaged 16 parts-per-billion following the dosing schedule, and the half-life of this inorganic mercury was found to be very long in the monkey brains (> 120 days). In a series of molecular studies with neurons it has now been shown that nanomolar (nm) to micromolar (μm) concentrations of Thimerosal are capable of inducing neuronal death, neurodegeneration, membrane damage, and DNA damage within hours of exposure [4, 13, 14, 41, 46, 54, 65, 68]. Additionally, it has been shown that nm to μm concentrations of Thimerosal are capable of disrupting critical signaling pathways/biochemical events necessary for neurons to undergo normal neuronal development [51, 53, 66], and it has also been shown that testosterone synergistically enhances Thimerosal neurotoxicity, whereas estrogen significantly ameliorates Thimerosal neurotoxicity [35, 52]. Hornig et al. administered Thimerosal to mice, mimicking the US routine childhood immunization schedule of the 1990s (weight- and age-adjusted), and observed autistic symptoms in a susceptible mouse strain that included growth delay, reduced locomotion, exaggerated response to novelty, increased brain size, decreased numbers of Purkinje cells, significant abnormalities in brain architecture affecting areas sub-serving emotion and cognition, and densely packed hyperchromic hippocampal neurons with altered glutamate receptors and transporters [40]. In addition, Thimerosal exposure at specific prenatal developmental stages in several animal models and humans has been shown to result in mercury crossing the placental barrier and to result in significant fetal lethality, developmental disorders, and teratogenecity [18, 23, 36, 44]. The findings of the present study are also further supported by recent clinical studies examining the body-burden of mercury and mercury susceptibility in children with neurodevelopmental disorders [20, 49, 52]. Bradstreet et al. showed that, following chelation, there were approximately 6-times significantly greater urinary mercury concentrations among autistics matched to neurotyptical children, whereas autistics and matched neurotypical children had similar urinary cadmium and lead concentrations. Similar urinary mercury concentration levels were observed among matched vaccinated and unvaccinated neurotypical children following chelation [11]. Likewise, Holmes et al. examined first baby haircuts and determined that autistics had significantly higher body-burdens of mercury in comparison to non-autistic matched controls by demonstrating that the ability to excrete mercury in first baby haircuts was inversely proportional to the severity of autistics, which on the whole was very low compared to non-autistic matched controls [39]. James et al. have evaluated the biochemical susceptibility to mercury in autistic children in comparison to age- and gender-matched control children by evaluating the methionine cycle and transsulfuration metabolites. It was determined that there were significant decreases in the plasma concentration of cysteine (19% reduction) and glutathione (46% reduction), and that autistic children had significantly increased oxidative stress (3- fold decrease in glutathione/oxidized glutathione redox ratio) in comparison to control children [20, 45]. CONCLUSION The present controlled assessment of VAERS shows that very specific adverse affects were attributable to Thimerosal. Thimerosal was associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, and potential systematic error or confounding were found to be minimal in VAERS. Despite conclusions by the IOM that the evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between Thimerosal and autism, it is not biologically plausible for Thimerosal to cause autism, and that no further studies should be conducted to evaluate the relationship between Thimerosal and autism [43], it is clear from these data and other emerging data that have been recently published, that additional neurodevelopmental disorder research should be undertaken in the context of evaluating mercury-associated exposures, especially from Thimerosal-containing vaccines. Furthermore, studies should also be undertaken to evaluate additional databases/registries to assess the compatibility of the present results with trends in neurodevelopmental disorders in other US populations. Acknowledgements We wish to thank Dr. Paul G. King and Lisa Sykes for helping to review and revise our manuscript. Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.27 No.4, 2006 Copyright Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN X 411

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